strange rat illness and behaviour

Question
I have owned rats for 8 years now and I have never encountered what I am encountering now with my one year old male rat.  He stopped eating regularily a little while ago and then his breathing starting getting heavy. He gasps and sounds like he is stuffed up and starts to panic when he cant get a deep breath. The weird thing is that he is extremely aggressive, biting us AND he is trying to knaw his own tail off...I have to keep an eye on him cause he is biting everything! I am scared to pick him up and console him for fear of being bit! Also he smells like fish! Its something I have never seen! He is very stressed because he is covered in poryphin but Idont know what could be wrong at such a young age or why he is trying to bite himself!  I dont know what I should do.

Answer
Michelle

Your rat is in respiratory distress and cannot breathe. His aggression is due to his extreme panic from slow suffocation.

He needs a vet right now before he dies.

If you do not have a vet and need one, please refer to

http://www.aemv.org/

You will find a vet in your area by using the drop down menu to locate your state.   Please try to find a place ASAP as he is clearly distressed due to lack of oxygen.